Zhengtu
Developer(s)Zhengtu Network
Publisher(s)Zhengtu Network
Platform(s)Microsoft Windows
Release
  • WW: 2007
Genre(s)Massively multiplayer online role-playing game
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Zhengtu Online (Chinese: 征途; pinyin: Zhēngtú; lit. 'Expedition') was a MMORPG developed and run by Shanghai based Zhengtu Network.[1]

It was released in 2007[2] and it became a success in that same year, with a monthly profit of $15.52 million.[3] Also in 2007, the game recorded 2.8 million daily active players and 860,265 peak concurrent users (PCU) on March 23.[3] In 2008 it reached 1.52 million peak concurrent users, becoming the second most popular online game, after Fantasy Westward Journey with 1.66 million peak concurrent users.[4]

Zhengtu ceased operations on 26 December 2018.

Loot box pioneer

The game pioneered loot box predatory monetisation mechanics. It featured the now-canonical lock-and-key system made famous by Counter-Strike, but would also show you all the loot that a chest could contain on a circle reminiscent of Wheel of Fortune. According to the Southern Weekly article that describes ZT: "Chests will frequently contain the high-class equipment that gamers desire, but the spinning light wheel always passes over them."[5][6]

References

  1. ↑ Gamasutra - The China Angle: Wii Piracy, World Of Warcraft Beaten?
  2. ↑ "The loot box stink: How did we end up in this mess?". 24 November 2017.
  3. 1 2 "Gamasutra - The China Angle: Wii Piracy, World Of Warcraft Beaten?".
  4. ↑ "Online games market in China to reach $3 BLN by 2010". ZDNet.
  5. ↑ Wright, Steven T. (8 December 2017). "The evolution of loot boxes". PC Gamer.
  6. ↑ Bedingfield, Will. "It's Not Just Loot Boxes: Predatory Monetization is Everywhere". Wired.


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